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Scattered along the Caribbean coast of Panama, the tiny islands of the Guna Yala archipelago, formerly known as the San Blas islands, are now a top ecotourism destination. Throughout this past December, it was also been the set of the third season of the successful Spanish TV series 'La Casa de Papel' ('Money Heist').

In honor of the premiere of season 3 (coming to Netflix July 19!), check out one of Central America's most intriguing destinations!

▲Throughout December 2018, one of the archipelago's islands served as the set of the famous Spanish TV series 'La Casa de Papel.' The third season will premiere on July 19.

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If you ask your Guna guides to visit the island that served as the set, they will surely take you there!

But that's not the only reason to visit these gorgeous islands! Click through the gallery to find out more about this paradisiacal location.

▲Guna Yala is a comarca (a traditional region) located in northeast Panama, facing the Caribbean Sea.

▲The indigenous territory includes a part on the mainland, covered by a forest that extends for more than 1,250 sq miles (3,237 sq km) along the northeast corner of Panama.

▲It is home to the Gunas, one of the seven original ethnicities in Panama, and the first indigenous group in Latin America to gain political autonomy.

▲The Guna people make up one of the largest indigenous groups in the country, and they work hard to protect the comarca and its culture.

▲The Panamanian government has no right over their land. The Guna General Congress, which is the highest political authority of Guna Yala, is a system of participatory democracy.

▲At the beginning of the 20th century, the Panamanian government attempted to "westernize" the Guna by prohibiting their customs, their language, and their traditional dress, but they revolted.

▲Since their 1925 Revolution, their territory, including the mainland forest, belongs to them, as is spelled out in the Panamanian constitution.

▲The economy of Guna Yala is based on agriculture, fishing, and handicraft production, with a long tradition of international trade.

▲Plantains, coconuts, and fish form the core of the Guna diet, supplemented with imported foods, a few domestic animals, and wild game.

▲The Guna are famous for their bright molas. Mola panels are sewed onto the blouses of the Guna women's national dress, which is worn daily by many Guna women.

▲Mola means "clothing" in the Guna language.

▲This colorful textile art form is made with the techniques of appliqué. Having an elaborate pattern—with many layers of fabrics and a good designs—is a point of pride.

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As molas have become popular with travelers, they are often sold in local markets as decor, framed to put on the wall or sewn onto throw pillows.

▲Nowadays, another important source of income is the tourist business. The former San Blas Islands are only an hour flight from Panama City.

▲Since 1996, the tourism business has been run exclusively by the locals, following a history of confrontations with investors who had acquired land and built luxury hotels without the blessing of the Guna General Congress.

▲Today, a law of the local Congress, “Ley Fundamental Guna,” bans the sale or rent of Guna lands to outsiders, including Panamanians, as well as non-Guna investments in their territory.

▲An estimated 365 islands sprinkle the coastline, one for every day of the year, as the Guna say.

▲But the majority of them are not populated. Most are just a mound of sand, covered with a few palm trees and surrounded by clear blue waters.

▲Almost every island charges a fee for visitors (US$2-7). There’s also a fee to enter the comarca (US$20).

▲Most of the tourist facilities in Guna Yala are small hotels for ecotourism. Most common accommodations are huts with thatched roofs and a sand or wooden floor.

▲For the adventurous ones, several islands have campgrounds available. Visitors can save quite a bit by bringing their own camping gear, or they can rent a hammock for a very reasonable price.

▲In addition to the beautiful beaches, laid-back accommodations, and local traditions, the archipelago offers various activities and attractions.

▲One of the most popular activities is snorkeling around a sunken ship on the shore of Isla Perro (Dog Island).

▲Once known as "Starfish Pool," this natural pool, in the middle of the Carribean sea, was one of the main attractions because of the large amount of starfish you could find in it. Unfortunately, too many tourists took the the animals out of the water to take selfies with them, and now there's no starfish anymore.

▲Nature is stunning here. You will observe a variety of birds, including pelicans, frigate birds, cormorants, and many more.

▲As you can imagine, the diet here is based on seafood. Meals usually consist of fish and rice, with lobster available if you spend a bit more.

▲Until the late 1990s, coconuts functioned as the principal currency of the region. Even now, millions of coconuts are exported annually to Colombia. So, if you find a coconut on the beach, don't assume it's yours!

▲Be careful when standing or laying under a coconut palm tree: a falling coconut could actually kill you!

▲The local sea level has been heavily impacted by climate change, increasing each year due to the effects of global warming.

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Sea-level rise is expected to accelerate in the coming decades. So you should see Guna Yala while you still can.

Now, check out some of these other incredible islands!